Arequipa is located 7,661 feet above sea level and is the second most populated city in Peru. I had never heard of it before coming, but from talking to various travelers decided that it was a city I couldn’t miss. After getting a glimpse of it’s beautiful architecture, temperate weather and surrounding volcanoes, I understand why. I spent almost a week in Arequipa and most of my days consisted of wandering the streets, reading in coffee shops and simply taking in the beautiful sunshine. I did manage to work in a few tourist sights and learn a little more about the city along the way. First fact, it’s referred to the white city because of the popular use of sillar (volcanic rock) in building construction (although I heard it was originally called the white city for the Spanish who settled there). The major tourist destination that I visited was the Monestario de Santa Catalina, a city inside a city. After several devastating earthquakes, the monastery decided to partner with the World Monument Fund to help restore this historical complex, which is why today it is so well-maintained. While a small part is still home to several nuns, a grand portion is open to the public. Not only was it an excellent escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, but it was an interesting look into yet a different kind of life. Arequipa is also the starting point for many tours into the Colca Canyon, said to be the second deepest canyon in the world (although after some research I would simply say it’s just one of the deepest—Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet and Cotahuasi Canyon located just north of Colca Canyon are deeper. So after a week in the city, it was time for an escape and what better place...
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Things Peruvian Alyssa Loves:1. Coffee shops! True, I love coffee shops everywhere, but it has easily been one of my favorite pastimes. While Columbia and Guatemala are more widely recognized around the world for their coffee, I have come across a number of organic, locally supplied coffee shops. 2. Markets. While there are many market halls scattered around the city, many vendors simply overflow into the streets selling fresh produce, flowers, clothing and raw meat. The last one is probably the least appetizing for me but I can understand why foreigners are often cautioned against eating street food. The combination of nonexistent refrigeration and the abundance of stray dogs has made it easy for me eat vegetarian. ,Upon returning to the city you start to realize that Peru is not a quiet place. While in a previous blog I mentioned all the honking and music, I forgot to mention the early morning fireworks, the street vendors trying to get you to buy souvenirs, someone shouting “mami or señora” so you ________ (insert: eat at their restaurant, go on a tour, get a massage, buy ice cream, etc). Since I unfortunately can’t escape the fact that I'm blatantly a tourist, it’s nearly impossible to walk down any street without being bombarded. This has led me to wander around less touristy areas or to hide away in coffee shops (not complaining!) So what have I been up to since Machu Picchu?? After a few recovery days in Cusco I made my way south to Lake Titicaca (yep, that’s what it’s called). It’s the highest navigable lake in the world at 12,507 feet and is a famous destination for those going to or coming from Bolivia (it borders both countries). Since a visa to simply enter Bolivia is about the cost of my 5-day trek to Machu Picchu, I decided to forego it and see what I could from the Peruvian side. Lake Titicaca is famous for its many islands, several of which are floating. These islands are made of reeds and became home to the Uros people hundreds of years back when they were seeking refuge from the Incas. Today, ~3,000 people live on these islands, carrying on their distinct culture, language and lifestyle. While tourism is extremely prevalent, it was definitely worth the trip. It’s one thing to read about walking on a bed of reeds floating on a lake, and another thing to experience it…they’re super spongy. Following a glimpse of life of the Uros people, we headed to the island of Taquile (an actual island). There we enjoyed a delicious trout lunch with a beautiful view of Bolivia in the distance. The people also shared a little of their culture and traditions with us. Taquile is most famous for their incredible textiles which were recognized by UNESCO in 2005. Knitting and weaving are an integral part of their culture–the men are most well-known for knitting while most women weave. It's quite impressive that the people have managed to keep many of their traditions alive, despite the large influx of tourism.
From Puno I made my way back towards the ocean, but not out of the mountains quite yet! Up next...Arequipa, the white city. When I booked my ticket to Peru several months back my motivation behind going was surprisingly not Machu Picchu. Since I managed to make it all the way here though it would have been a shame to miss it. Machu Picchu sees 2,500 tourists a day (a regulation set by the government to help protect the archaeological site which is endanger of not existing for future generations). Many of these visitors choose to hike in on the famous Inca Trail and while one specific route has grown in popularity over the years, the Inca Trail is in fact a network of trails connecting their vast empire (roughly 25,000 miles!). Unfortunately a permit is required in order to walk the historic trail. Only 500 people are allowed on the trail a day (which includes the 300 porters) so many book several months in advance. Given that I’m not quite sure where I’ll be tomorrow, planning my trip 6 months ago was a little unrealistic. As an alternative, I chose the increasingly popular Salkantay. Last Monday I set off on a trek from the snowy Andes to the world-renowned ruins of Machu Picchu. Over the course of 5 days we passed through various climates—glaciers, cloud forests, jungles—and altitudes ranging from 4,757 feet to 15,190 feet. Capturing this experience into words seems nearly impossible so I hope photos are enough... Day 1: Lake HumantayDay 2: Salkantay PassDay 3: Day of RecoveryDay 4: Inca TrailDay 5: Machu Picchu!I MADE IT!When 5 days of hiking isn't enough...Day 6?
While the day was long and exhausting, it was also incredibly beautiful. We followed the river through the mountains and saw several ruins along with way. We started at kilometer 110 so when we arrived at 82 we were pretty ecstatic. So after 7.5 hours of walking we arrived in Pisacucha where we took a 30 minute collectivo (bus) ride to Ollantaytambo. From there we took a 2 hour collectivo to Cusco. Nothing like a 15 hour day!
I was thankful that someone else from our tour group was also up for boycotting the extremely expensive train. Not only was it nice to have company for such a long trek but my trekking buddy became my doctor when I was bitten by a dog. It definitely wasn't as bad as it could have been. Plus, now I'm getting an insiders look at the health care system in Peru (again..) and learning some useful vocabulary that will hopefully serve me in my public health career. |
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